The canopy stretched endlessly above, a dense tangle of branches and leaves filtering the sunlight into pale green shafts that created an ethereal atmosphere. It was midday, yet beneath the forest's shadow, twilight reigned. A chill clung to the air, a strange contrast to the warmth they had left behind at the edge of the sect grounds. The atmosphere thickened with an unsettling stillness, and every breath felt heavier, as if the trees themselves exhaled a mist of decay that settled over their skin like a shroud.
The expedition group, three senior disciples and eight juniors, moved slowly along the moss-covered path that snaked through the dense undergrowth. The forest was ancient, older than the sect itself, as whispered by those who acknowledged its secrets. It exuded a kind of sentient silence, making the hair rise on the back of their necks. No birds chirped. No insects hummed. Only the occasional crack of a twig underfoot or the rustle of leaves broke the quiet, as if the forest listened, waiting for something to unfold.
Gu Muye walked at the rear of the group, his eyes lowered but his mind alert. Each step was deliberate, careful not to disturb the stillness that enveloped them. He hadn't spoken much since their entry into the forest, instead observing in silence. But his focus rested not on the shadows creeping between the trees but on the boy walking two positions ahead, Xue Yiran.
That name lingered in his mind, the faint echo of the one the original soul had thought of just before death. Memories came in fragments, sharp and jagged like glass he struggled to piece together. But the face remained clear, aloof, disinterested, and undeniably tied to something significant.
Gu Muye studied Xue from behind, trying to keep his gaze unobtrusive. His breathing steadied, but anxiety churned in his chest.
Was he the one who poisoned the body? Was he ordered to do it? Or did he have his own reason? The uncertainties twisted in his mind. The pain, the slow fading of strength, and the realization of betrayal had come too late to be undone. His fingers clenched at his side, nails digging into his palm, anchoring him against the swell of dark memories.
"Muye," Zhou Min whispered, leaning closer, his voice breaking the tension. "You good? You've been staring into space."
Gu Muye blinked, pulled from his thoughts. "Just thinking."
Zhou Min forced a smile, though it didn't quite warm his eyes. "Same here. This place gives me the creeps. I swear I tripped over something earlier. Couldn't see what it was, but it felt like… something solid."
Gu Muye's interest piqued. He kept his tone casual. "Something solid, you say?"
"Yeah," Zhou Min replied, glancing back down the path, his brow furrowing in thought. "Felt like stone, but… different. I was going to check it out, but then one of the seniors shouted, and I didn't want to get left behind."
"Next break, show me where," Gu Muye said, his curiosity building.
Zhou Min raised an eyebrow, his skepticism evident. "Why?"
"Just a feeling," Gu Muye offered casually, sensing that whatever that was may not be more a stone.
They pressed on, the path winding deeper into the heart of the forest. The trail narrowed, and the trees closed in around them. Vines curled around the trunks, skeletal fingers entwined in a grotesque embrace. Thick roots jutted from the ground, lying in wait to trip the unwary. Strange fog began to drift between the trunks, not thick enough to obscure vision, but enough to cast a dreamlike haze over everything.
Suddenly, a branch snapped somewhere ahead. The sound sliced through the heavy silence, sharp and angular.
"Stop!" Senior Brother Lian barked, instinct kicking in. He drew his slender blade halfway, its edge glinting in the muted light.
Everyone froze, tension mounting like a coiled spring. Junior disciples gathered close, eyes wide, hearts racing. Zhou Min inched nearer to Gu Muye, anxiety radiating off him like heat.
A low grumble echoed from deeper within the forest. Not human. Not natural. It crawled over them, a heavy sound like gravel being crushed under immense weight, sending shivers racing down their spines.
Senior Sister Yun advanced beside Lian, her expression resolute. "Guard formation, juniors in the center. Stay close."
Gu Muye and Zhou Min positioned themselves in the middle as Zhou Min cast a nervous glance toward the trees. "That wasn't a wolf, right?"
"No," Gu Muye replied, tension edging into his voice. "Something worse."
"Why did they even bring us here?" a junior whispered, his voice trembling.
"It's a rite," another junior replied, a mix of fear and bravado. "We're supposed to face pressure, learn to stay calm. Doesn't mean we're fighting whatever that is."
The sound came again, closer this time. A wet snort followed by the dragging scrape of something heavy, making their skin crawl.
The seniors tightened their formation. Their blades gleamed, steadfast against the creeping dread.
The brush shifted in a slow, deliberate motion.
Then, silence.
A few heartbeats passed, tension thickening the air, making it feel as if time itself had come to a standstill.
And then it appeared.
A shadow moved between the trees, a figure far too tall, bent slightly as if burdened with an unimaginable weight. A hunched silhouette stepped forward, half-shrouded in mist, its outline twisting, warping as if reality were struggling to contain it.
Its foot hit the ground with a sickening thud, reverberating through the forest like a death knell. Another step. Thud. Then a dragging sound, something behind it scraped over roots and rocks, leaving dark, glistening trails in the damp earth as if marking its cursed path.
Zhou Min grabbed Gu Muye's sleeve tightly, his face drained of color. "What… what is that?"
Gu Muye didn't answer. He didn't know how to respond. Instinct screamed at him to flee, to escape whatever horror this was.
Its face, if it could be called that, began to emerge from the shadows. Red glints where eyes should be flickered ominously in the hazy light. The flesh that formed its visage appeared… wrong, stitched together in a grotesque patchwork that sent chills creeping through the observers.
The seniors remained silent, each muscle taut, instincts honed over years ready to react at a moment's notice.
The creature tilted its head, its gaze piercing through the fog. It had seen them, and the intensity of its curiosity felt like a spotlight on their fears.
Then, it stopped.
It simply stood there, breathing, watching. Heavy breaths that felt as if a predator were sizing them up for the hunt.
For a long moment, no one moved. The forest itself seemed to hold its breath.
Senior Brother Lian slowly stepped forward, becoming a sentinel ready to protect his comrades. "Juniors, do not act unless commanded. Keep your blades ready."
Gu Muye's mind raced, frantic thoughts weaving a tapestry of dread. Was this one of the monsters the sect warned about? Or possibly something far worse, a horror born from the very heart of the forest? He shot a glance at Zhou Min, whose complexion had gone pallid, a stark contrast against the surrounding shadows.
"Don't worry. The seniors are with us," Gu Muye whispered urgently, hoping to quell the panic gnawing at them both.
Zhou Min nodded, resolve flickering in his eyes, determination fighting his fear.
A growl rumbled from the beast, low and menacing, vibrating through their chests like distant thunder.
The creature took a hesitant step forward, shifting from stillness into motion.
Then, it paused again, hovering at a crossroads between advancing or retreating.
Everyone tensed, breaths caught in their throats, the atmosphere thick with impending chaos.
But it didn't lunge at them.
It simply watched, as if contemplating their fates.
A wind whispered through the trees, making the leaves hiss softly, a sinister murmur of warnings unheard.
The creature's head twitched, its ghastly features shifting grotesquely. Its eyes, if they could truly be called eyes, flared briefly, and a ripple of fear coursed through the group.
With a sudden, jarring sound, guttural and sharp, like a cursed wail swallowed by gravel, it reverberated through the air, a horrible echo that threatened to consume them.
Then it crouched ever so slightly, muscles coiling in anticipation of the chase.
The seniors stepped forward in unison, forming a protective shield around the juniors.
"Juniors," Senior Sister Yun commanded firmly, her voice steady and authoritative, "prepare yourselves. It's not going to wait much longer. Stay together and trust in your training."
Gu Muye reached for the small dagger concealed at his side, fingers brushing the cool metal, grounding himself in reality. Zhou Min shifted closer, his expression grim, focus sharpening amid the pressure mounting around them.
The forest had grown silent again, an eerie quiet surrounding them, heavy like a suffocating fog. No rustle of wind. No crack of branches.
The creature tensed, muscles rippling under its grotesque skin, poised for action.
And the group braced themselves.
A/N:
Nothing says "welcome to the forest" like being stalked by a nightmarish creature that walks like it skipped leg day and drags something suspicious behind it.
The forest clearly skipped the vibe check, and now everyone's questioning their life choices.
Anyway, thanks for reading, hope your forest stays NPC-free. 🌲😌